November

Happy November!
We had professional pictures taken of our little girl.  Titus has a photography business called Made in Mufreesboro  and a photography blog The Obvious.  Taking pictures with a baby is a lot of work!  Thanks Titus!

Hiking
We went on our first family hike this month.  It was extra special because it was the Fiery Gizzard trail were Luke first told me that he knew he wanted to marry me.

 

Gardening

I've been reading "Sunflower Houses" by Sharon Lovejoy.  This book gives ideas for making a garden inviting to children.  We are going to do a garden expansion in our backyard this spring, and I wan to think about it being very child friendly.  According to the book, children like flowers that look like they have faces.  So I planted some pansies in planter boxes.  In Tennessee pansies last fall through spring, which was a surprise for this Midwest girl!

 
Bible

This last week I have enjoyed being thankful to God for so many blessings in my life.  On Sunday I was encouraged further to see the importance of being thankful to God, giving God glory and giving God praise.  Here are some verses in Psalm 147. 
  ¹ Praise the LORD!For it is good to sing praises to our God;
   for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
³He heals the brokenhearted
   and binds up their wounds.
⁴He determines the number of the stars;
   he gives to all of them their names.
⁵Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
    his understanding is beyond measure.

 ⁷ Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
   make melody to our God on the lyre!
¹⁰His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
   nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
¹¹but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,
   in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Verse 7 encouraged me to want to play my auto harp more often in praise and thanks to God.  Verse 11 encouraged me to see what God says is important and to make that important to me.  On Sunday I was also reminded that what God gave in my savior Jesus Christ is something I could never get for myself.  I am very thankful indeed. 

Movie

We've been watching DVD's from our library of the TV show "All Creatures Great and Small".  It is about a veterinarian named James Herriot in Brittan.  Funny and sweet.














I hope that you are doing well.   Please share. What has been encouraging you to be thankful this month?

September 2010

First time rolling over!

 This September has been a wonderful time.  My little girl has made many motor strides this month.  She is rolling over, but most of the time in her sleep.  Often I find her with an arm or a leg hanging out of the crib.  She is also starting to reach for items with her hands, and sometimes actually picking them up.  This especially is fun for her occupational therapist mother!

Recipe

For many years now gazpacho has been a special recipe for me to make.  I have so many good memories over the years making gazpacho to celebrate occasions or just to enjoy it with people that I love.  I even took it on a car camping trip! Traditionally gazpacho is all pureed, even sometimes drinkable.  The chunky version appeals more to me, maybe because it is like a salsa soup!

Gazpacho!
1/3 cup cilantro leaves
1 (or more) large jalapeno, cored, split, seeded
1 large garlic clove
3 large ripe tomatoes, quartered
3 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup each: ketchup, olive oil
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 cup each diced: green pepper(half of a large pepper), jicama (half a small jicama), white onion (half of a large onion)
1 cup raw corn (1 ear)
1 ripe avocado, peeled, diced

1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Optional - sour cream, lime wedges, corn chips
1.  Mince cilantro, jalapeno, and garlic in a blender or food processor.  Add tomatoes. Puree.  Add 1 cup tomato juice, ketchup, oil and Worcestershire sauce.  Blend well.
2.  Transfer to large bowl.  Stir in remaining juice, diced pepper, jicama, onion, corn, avocado.  Season with salt and pepper.  Can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.
3.  To serve, stir well.  Serve chilled.  Garnish with sour cream and lime juice.  Eat with the chips.
Printable Recipe
Reading
I had fun reading this month.  Here are two of the books that really had my attention.
Romancing Miss Bronte 

This book shows Charlotte Bronte's real life.  It was terribly interesting.  She had published under a pseudonym and then became ridiculously famous.  One funny scene was on a train when a man she knew was reading her book and didn't know that she had written it!  I also appreciated that the book was based mostly on actually letters and diaries.  The best part to me was that in the end she married and was able to enjoy how truly wonderful God made marriage to be.  Her heart was tenderized by how her husband loved her.  Unfortunately she died early before she was able to depict in a book how wonderful non-traumatic love can be.

Nurture Shock 
This book was really interesting.  It examined what our culture tells us is the correct way to teach children, but then how scientific studies show us that we may be off track.  For example, most parents think that they are helping their children by telling the child that he or she is smart.  But often children end up not trying difficult activities because they don't want to prove that they actually are not smart.  But when people praise a child for working hard, then the child will try more difficult activities.  For a book with a lot of scientific studies, it is really interesting to read.



Exercise

This month I swam laps 3 times a week!  How wonderfully invigorating.  Especially since my local pool had lap swimming outside until last week.  My favorite times were swimming while the sun was setting.  Priceless.

Occupational Therapy

This month I celebrate being an occupational therapist for 10 years!  While I'm not currently working as a therapist, it has been a wonderful time for reflecting on the past 10 years.  I am truly thankful for all the people I have met through the journey, both co-workers and patients.  One of my patients was in his 60's and had limited use of his arms and legs due to being born with cerebral palsy.  He grew up during a time where there was little awareness about people with disabilities.  He shared with me that his favorite song was "Born Free".  His attitude toward life was one of being thankful and enjoying everyday.  This is the essence of what I enjoy about being an occupational therapist.  Helping people to do the most that they can in life, and at the same time being reminded to enjoy living my own life.

August 2010

 Happy August!

We've been smiling,

and cooing around here!

Garden
The flowers have really burst forth in our front yard!

The white zinnia's really helped to fill in some bare spots in the border.

I'm sparing you the pictures of our backyard. Who wants to look at bare dirt spots and dried up plants?  My goal is next year to be showing you pictures of a back yard with lush plants and pretty flowers.

Bible
A verse that I have enjoyed this month is Isaiah 50:10

"Who is among you that fears the LORD,
         That obeys the voice of His servant,
         That walks in darkness and has no light?
         Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God."

 When I am in a situation that I feel like I don't have a light, I need to continue to rely on God and trust in His name (and He has so many wonderful names, Creator, Almighty, Father...)

Mocha Cheesecake

This month's recipe is one that I grew up enjoying on special occasions.   It actually isn't a cheesecake.  Instead is like a really rich ice cream cake.  Usually the recipes I post are healthy.  This is the opposite direction, but oh so good!  You won't be sorry you try this recipe.  Even if you mess it up and use real coffee grounds instead of instant coffee, like I did one time, you will still love it.

Frozen Mocha Cheesecake
1 1/4 c. chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (or graham cracker crumbs)
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. margarine or butter (melted)
1- 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1- 14 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2/3 c. chocolate flavored syrup
2 T. instant coffee
1 t. hot water
1 c. (1/2 pint) whipping cream, whipped

In small bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and margarine.  In buttered 9-inch spring form pan or 13x9-inch baking dish, pat crumbs firmly on bottom and up sides of pan.  Chill.  In large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy; add sweetened condensed milk and chocolate syrup.  In small bowl, dissolve coffee in water, add to mixture.  Mix well. Fold in whipped cream.  Pour into prepared pan.  Cover.  Freeze 6 hours or until firm.
Printable Copy of Recipe

Crafts
Here are some party decorations I made for a baby shower.

Isn't Luke's grandma's sewing machine awesome!

 Ruffle crepe paper by layering two pieces and then sewing down the middle.  More information here.

 Cut triangles out of scrapbook paper, glue to a string, and then you have a fun triangle banner.